Exhibit 10.3



                            OPTICAL CABLE CORPORATION
                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT


This agreement made effective November 1, 2000 by and between Optical Cable
Corporation, having a place of business at 5290 Concourse Drive, Roanoke,
Virginia (hereinafter referred to as OCC), and Robert Kopstein, (hereinafter
referred to as Kopstein).

WHEREAS, OCC desires to employ Kopstein and Kopstein desires to accept such
employment upon the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein
contained, OCC employs Kopstein and Kopstein accepts employment upon the
following terms and conditions:

1.   EMPLOYMENT AND DUTIES: Kopstein is employed as President & Chief Executive
     Officer of OCC. Kopstein hereby agrees to abide by the terms and conditions
     of this Agreement.

2.   TERM: The term of this Agreement shall begin on November 1, 2000 and shall
     terminate on the 31st day of October, 2001.

3.   STARTING DATE: This Agreement becomes effective November 1, 2000.

4.   COMPENSATION: For all services rendered by Kopstein, OCC shall pay Kopstein
     a salary, payable monthly, equal to 1.0% of the previous fiscal year net
     sales and in order to stimulate the growth of OCC, OCC shall pay Kopstein a
     sales commission equal to 1.0% of the positive difference between the
     current fiscal year net sales and the prior year net sales. Said sales
     commission shall be paid monthly and paid within 15 days after the end of
     the month. Said sales commission shall be based on the difference in net
     sales between the period of employment in the current fiscal year and the
     corresponding period of the previous fiscal year.

5.   PATENT RIGHTS: Kopstein's interest in any and all inventions or
     improvements made or conceived by him, or which he may make or conceive at
     any time after the commencement of and until the termination of his
     employment of OCC, either individually or jointly with others, shall be the
     exclusive property of OCC, its successors, assignees or nominees. He will
     make full and prompt disclosure in writing to an officer or official of
     OCC, or to anyone designated for that purpose by OCC, of all inventions or
     improvements made or conceived by him during the term of his employment. At
     the request and expense of OCC, and without further compensation to him,
     Kopstein will for all inventions or improvements which may be patentable,
     do all lawful acts and execute and acknowledge any and all letters and/or
     patents in the United States of America and foreign countries for any of
     such inventions and improvements, set forth herein, and for vesting in OCC
     the entire right, title and interest thereto. As used in this Agreement,
     "inventions or improvements" means discoveries, concepts, and ideas,
     whether patentable or not, relating to any present or prospective
     activities of OCC, including, but not limited to, devices, processes,
     methods, formulae, techniques, and any improvements to the foregoing.

6.   CONFIDENTIALLY; DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION: Since the work for which
     Kopstein is employed and upon which he shall be engaged, will include trade
     secrets and confidential


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     information of OCC or its customers, Kopstein shall receive such trade
     secrets and confidential information in confidence and shall not, except as
     required in the conduct of OCC's business, publish or disclose, or make use
     of or authorize anyone else to publish, disclose, or make use of any such
     secrets or information unless and until such secrets or information shall
     have ceased to be secret or confidential as evidenced by public knowledge.
     This prohibition as to publication and disclosures shall not restrict him
     in the exercise of his technical skill, provided that the exercise of such
     skill does not involve the disclosure to others not authorized to receive
     trade secret or confidential information of OCC or its customers. As used
     in this Agreement, "trade secrets and confidential information" means any
     formula, pattern device or compilation of information used in the business
     of OCC or its customers which gives OCC or its customers an opportunity to
     obtain advantage over competitors who do not know or use such information;
     the term includes, but is not limited to, devices and processes, whether
     patentable or not, compilations of information such as customer lists,
     business and marketing plans, and pricing information where much of the
     information involved is generally known or available but where the
     compilation, organization or use of the information is not generally known
     and is of significance to the business of OCC or its customers. The
     provisions of this paragraph (six) 6 shall apply throughout the period of
     Kopstein's employment with OCC, and for twelve (12) successive months
     immediately following termination of that employment by either party for
     any reason.

7.   NON-COMPETE: Kopstein covenants and agrees that during the term of his
     employment with OCC (as employee, consultant or otherwise) and for the
     twelve (12) consecutive months immediately following termination of that
     employment by either party for any reason he will not own or have an
     ownership interest in, or render services to, or work for any business
     which competes with OCC or is engaged in the same or similar business
     conducted by OCC during the period of Kopstein's employment with OCC, or
     wishing three (3) months following termination of that employment; nor will
     he call on, solicit or deal with any customers or prospective customer of
     OCC learned about or developed during Kopstein's employment with OCC. This
     Agreement shall apply to Kopstein as an individual for his own account, as
     a partner or joint venturer, as an employee, agent salesman or consultant
     for any person or entity, as an officer, director or shareholder.

8.   RETURN OF OCC PROPERTY: Immediately upon the termination of his employment
     with OCC, Kopstein will turn over to OCC all notes, memoranda, notebooks,
     drawings, records, documents, and all computer program source listings,
     object files, and executable images obtained from OCC or developed or
     modified by him as part of his work for OCC which are in his possession or
     under his control, whether prepared by him or others, relating to any work
     done for OCC or relating in any way to the business of OCC or its
     customers, it being acknowledged that all such items are the sole property
     of OCC.

9.   BENEFITS: Kopstein shall be entitled to such vacation and benefits of OCC;
     may from time to time establish for employees of similar positions,
     responsibilities and seniority.

10.  BINDING ON OTHER PARTIES: This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to
     the benefit of Kopstein, his heirs, executors and administrators, and shall
     be binding upon and inure to the benefit of OCC and its successors and
     assigns.

11.  ENFORCEMENT AND REMEDIES: This Agreement shall be enforced and construed in
     accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

     Each party acknowledges that in the event of a breach or threatened breach
     of the confidentiality or non-compete provisions set out in paragraphs 6
     and 7 of the Agreement, damages at law will be inadequate and injunctive
     relief is appropriate in addition to whatever damages may be recoverable.
     Kopstein agrees to pay the costs, including attorneys fees incurred by OCC
     in enforcing the provisions of paragraphs 6 and 7.


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     Each and all of the several rights and remedies contained in or arising by
     reason of this Agreement shall be construed as cumulative and no one of
     them shall be exclusive of any other or of any right or priority allowed by
     law or equity. Nothing in this Agreement is intended to be in derogation of
     the rights of either party under or pursuant to any federal or state
     statute.

12.  NOTICES: Any notice required or desired to be given under this Agreement
     shall be deemed given if in writing sent by U.S. Mail to his last known
     residence in the case of Kopstein or to its principal office in the case of
     OCC.

13.  SEVERABILITY AND LIMITED ENFORCEABILITY: It is understood and agreed that,
     should any portion of any clause or paragraph of this Agreement be deemed
     too broad to permit enforcement to its full extent, then such restriction
     shall be enforced to the maximum extent permitted by law, and the parties
     hereby consent and agree that such scope may be modified accordingly in a
     proceeding brought to enforce such restriction. Further, it is agreed that,
     should any provision in the Agreement be entirely unenforceable, the
     remaining provisions of this Agreement shall not be affected.

14.  ASSIGNMENT: This Agreement and the rights and obligations hereunder shall
     be deemed unique and personal to Kopstein and Kopstein may not transfer,
     pledge, encumber, assign, anticipate, or alienate all or any part of this
     Agreement.

15.  PRIOR AGREEMENT; MODIFICATION: No modifications or waiver of this
     Agreement, or of any provision thereof, shall be valid or binding, unless
     in writing and executed by both of three parties hereto. No waiver by
     either party of any breach of any term or provision of this Agreement shall
     be construed as a waiver of any succeeding breach of the same or any other
     term or provision.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the day
and year first written above.


s/Deborah B. Stokes                 s/ Robert Kopstein
-------------------------           -------------------------
WITNESS                             Robert Kopstein



                                    Optical Cable Corporation

                                    By:     s/Kenneth W. Harber
                                            -------------------
                                            Kenneth W. Harber
                                            Vice President of Finance